"A
pinch of this, a dash of that, a few cupfuls" was how
our mothers and grandmothers told us to prepare a family
recipe."
~RMKH

Remembering Our Danube Swabian Ancestors

Schmerkipfel
(Shmare-kip-fel) – Danish Pastry

From the Kitchen of
Anne Dreer, 01 Mar 2008

Comment:Schmerkipfel where
originally made from the
abdominal lard of pigs,
sometimes referred to as
leaf lard. It is more tender
than regular lard, thus
suitable for delicate
pastry. When all the
butchering work was done,
and the meat was processed
into sausages, hams, bacon
and the regular lard was
rendered for cooking, it was
then the Donauschwaben
housewife had time to make
Schmerkipfel. When no
leaf lard was available the Kipfel were made

with
butter; thus referred to as Butterkipfel. The leaf
lard ones were lighter and
puffier. I find Crisco®
shortening works great and
is easier to work with than
butter.

¾ cup
lukewarm water

2
teaspoons sugar

2
packages yeast

5½
cups all purpose flour

1¼
cups sugar

4 egg
yolks

Grated lemon rind from
one lemon (approx.)

2¼
cups lukewarm milk

1½
teaspoons salt

1 lb.
Crisco OR 1 lb. cool
(not cold) room
temperature butter

½ cup
flour

A large
jar of pure apricot jam,
without pectin if possible.
Jam that has too much pectin
will melt from the heat and
run out of the kipfel.
Kraft® or Smucker® brands
are good.

Method:

Soak the
yeast with the sugar and
lukewarm water in a small
bowl. Set aside.

Coat the
Crisco with the ½ cup flour
and flatten it into a
rectangle about seven by ten
inches. This may be done on
the paper it was wrapped in.
It should be even in
thickness.

When the
yeast is dissolved and
bubbly, mix it with the
lukewarm milk, flour, sugar,
egg yolks, lemon rind, and
salt. By hand work it
together to make a smooth
dough. Use the mixer if you
have a dough hook. If not,
let it sit for five or ten
minutes and knead it until
it comes off the sides of
the bowl.

Dust the dough board with flour and roll out the dough evenly to form a rectangle double the size of the flattened Crisco.

Put the Crisco on one half of the dough and fold the other side over it.

Pinch the edges together.

Turn the dough clockwise so the long pinched side is towards and parallel to the edge of the board. Cover it with a clean dishtowel and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Keep the board dusted with flour.

Roll it out again into a rectangle from the center to the edges—about 22 by 12 inches. Press the rolling pin down slightly so the Crisco in between gets rolled all the way to the edges. Make the corners of the dough as ‘square’ as you can (not rounded).

If some of the fat comes out pinch some dough over it. Do not stretch the dough. Carefully fold the right third of the dough toward the center, then the left side over it to make it triple thick.

You have
now done
one
turn.
Repeat
three
more
times,
letting
the
dough
rest,
covered,
in
between.
It may
be
necessary
to roll
it into
a larger
rectangle
as it
will
keep
getting
puffier
as the
dough
rises
from the
yeast.

Turn the dough
clockwise one quarter turn so the long side is again
along the edge of the board. Cover and let it rest for
10 minutes.
Sometimes it is a good idea to roll
it out and wait a few minutes before folding it as it
will also get stretchier.

Cut a narrow strip off edges first. This will be used for Danishes when all kipfel are done.

After the final turn have your baking sheets and the jam ready. Roll the dough out to a half inch thickness. It will be quite a large rectangle. Cover it and wait a few minutes or else it will shrink as you cut it.

Cut the strips into squares. Put ½ teaspoon jam on each square, fold into a triangle.

Put ½ teaspoon jam on each square, fold into a triangle, then pull the opposing triangles back and pinch them together. Try not to touch the cut edges. That would disturb the layers that are supposed to puff up like a harmonica. Brush the tops with egg white, carefully not getting any on the cut edges (that would make them stick together.)

Bake in a
preheated oven at 400 degrees
(check after 10 to 15 minutes)
until golden brown.

Use the edge
strips to make a few Danishes.
Twist them, and then form a
coil. Dot centre with jam and
bake.

Dust with
vanilla flavoured icing sugar.

They’re best
when warm. They freeze well and
are best when reheated in the
oven (they stay crisp). The
microwave makes them a little
soft.